Apparatus for treating strip and the like



Feb. 17, 1959 A. J. SARKA APPARATUS FOR TREATING STRIP AND THE LIKE 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 9, 1954 M M v 7 bfl m Feb. 17, 1959 A. J.SARKA APPARATUS FOR TREATING STRIP AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledDec. 9, 1954 rho APPARATUS FOR TREATING STRIP AND THE LIKE Albert J.Sarka, Maple Heights, Ohio, assignor to Wean Equipment Corporation,Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December 9, 1954,Serial No. 474,235

13 Claims. (Cl. 164-89) ,This invention relates to apparatus fortreating strip and the like and more particularly to apparatus fortreating moving material in strip-like form without stopping themovement of the material during thetreating operation. For purposes ofillustration and explanation the invention will be described andillustrated as embodied in a punch press, although it may be similarlyembodied in other forms of strip treating mechanisms. It has been one ofthe great problems in high-speed production of strip-like material totreat the moving strip-like material without stopping the movement ofthe strip at the time of treatment. Conventional methods of treatingstrip are unsatisfactory at high strip speeds because of the tendency ofthe strip to pile up at the treating machine due to the inherentlimitations of the usual mechanisms. Many types of strip treatingmachines have heretofore been proposed but all are subject to one ormore of the disadvantages of complex design, high cost, large floorspace requirements, need for highly skilled operating personnel, andmost important very real and definite limitations upon the accuracy oftreatment and the operating speed.

.All of these disadvantages are overcome by the strip treating apparatusof this invention. This invention provides an apparatus which is simple,economical and virtually unlimited in operating speed. There is providedcontinuously operable means feeding strip material in a path, releasemeans in the continuously operable means whereby the strip material canbe drawn freely through the feeding means at a speed greater than therate of feed, and a pair of members for simultaneously acting on stripand drawing the strip through the continuously operable means at a speedin excess of the rate of feed. Braking means are preferably provided onthe continuously operable means preventing free rotation of thecontinuously operable means. Themembers for acting on the strip may bein the form of a flying shear, a press or other apparatus acting on theshear. In a preferred embodiment of the invention there is providedcontinuously operable means feeding strip material in a path, releasemeans in the continuously operable means whereby the strip material canbe drawn freely through the feeding means at a speed greater than therate of feed, a first member for acting on the strip and the likemounted to operate in a circular path at a peripheral speed in excess ofthe rate of strip feed a portion of which circular path liessubstantially in the first-mentioned path, a guide extending generallytransversely of the first-mentioned path mounted to move with the firstmember, a second member for acting on the strip and the like mounted toreciprocate in the guide and move generally in unison with the firstmember and to move substantially into the first-mentioned pathsubstantially with the first member to engage the strip and the likebetween said first and second members whereby the strip is moved withsaid members during a portion of their movement and is drawn through thefeeding means at a speed greater than the rate of feed; Preferably drivemeans are provided simultaneously'driving the first member and thecontinuously operable means at I 2,873,803 Patented Feb. 17, 1959- twodifierent peripheral speeds of which the speed of the first member isgreater. The continuously operable means feeding the strip is preferablya pair of pinch rolls driven through an overrunning clutch which permitsthe strip to be drawn through the rolls at a speed greater than the rateof feed. Preferably a drag brake is provided on the pinch rolls toprevent their overrunning when the pulling or drawing force is releasedfrom the strip. In this way continuous control over the strip ismaintained and the'length of the treated strip is continuouslymaintained at a figure equal to amount fed by the pinch rolls plus theamount drawn through by the pulling force. The first member acting onthe strip is preferably mounted in a floating frame surrounding the pathof strip travel and mounted on spaced apart eccentric cams. These camsare identical in size and shape and rotate about parallel axes in thesame direction so that all points on the frame describe a circle ofidentical size during each revolution of the cams. The second member ispreferably mounted in guides in the frame on the side of the stripopposite the first member and pivoted to an arm rotatable on a fixedaxis opposite the first member so that the second member is caused toreciprocate in the guideways while it moves with the frame as the framerevolves about its cams.

Means may be provided on the first and second members for receivinginterchangeable platens so that the punch press may be converted to ashear, a stamping machine or other treating mechanism simply by changingthe platens. Preferably this is accomplished by providing platen holderswith cooperating indexing means on each member. 7 7

Certain features, objects and advantages of this invention have beendescribed above. Other features, objects and advantages will be apparentfrom a consideration of the following description and the accompanyingdrawings in which Figure l is a side elevational View of a punch pressaccording to this invention;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the discharge end of the punch pressof Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the punch press of Fig ure 1;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the punch press of Figure 1looking from the right of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a vertical section on the line VV of Figure 2;

Figures 6A, 6B, 6C and 6D are vertical sectional views through thefloating frame used in the punch press of Figures 1 through 5illustrating diagrammatically the sequence of motion of the floatingframe, platens and pinch rolls during a single cycle;

Figure 7 is an enlarged view partly broken away of the drag brake usedon the pinch rolls of the press of Figures 1 through 6; and

Figures 8 is an end elevation broken away of an overruning coupling asused in the embodiments of Figures 1 through 6.

Referring to the drawings there is illustrated a housing 10 having abase 11 and side members 12. of parallel shafts 13 and 14 are journaledfor rotation adjacent the top and bottom of the side members 12,vertically one above the other. Each of these shafts is provided witheccentric cams 15 adjacent the side members 12. A floating frame made upof side frames 16 mounted for rotation on the earns 15 and spacermembers (not shown) is provided between the side members 12 of thehousing. A top press die 17 is fixed between the side frames 16 belowthe upper shaft 13 to travel with the side frame. Each side frame 16 isprovided 19 is vertically reciprocable.

The lower press die 19 is A pair pivotally mounted on the end ofvertical arms 29 which are in turn pivoted on the lower shaft 14alongside the eccentric cams 15. The two shafts 13 and 14 are driven bya motor 21 acting through a drive pinion 22 and identical gears 23 onthe shafts 13 and 14.

A pair of pinch rolls 24 and 25 are provided within the housing sidemembers 12 adjacent the floating frame to continuously feed strip on apath through the frame. The lower pinch roll 24 is journalled in theside members 12 and is driven by a variable speed gear drive 26 of thePIV or equivalent known type through a conventional overrunning coupling27 from a gear 28 on the lower shaft 14. The overrunning coupling 27may, for example, be made up of an outer ring 27:: fixed to gear 28. Thegear 28 and the ring 27a fixed thereto are freely rotatable on the shaft14. A ramp wheel 27]) fixed to the shaft 14 is rotatable within ring27a. Locking balls 27c lie between housing 27a and the ramps of the rampwheel 27b. When the gear 28 is moved at a speed greater than the shaft14, the balls 27c drop into the pockets in the ramp Wheel 2712. When theshaft 14 is rotating more rapidly than gear 28, the balls 27c ride upthe ramps and are trapped between the ramps of ramp wheel 27b and ring27a locking the two together so that the gear 28 is rotated with shaft14. The upper pinch roll is journalled in lever arms 29 pivotallymounted on the side members 12 above the bottom pinch roll 2 Outwardlyextending arms 36 are fixed to the side members 12 above the lever arms29 and parallel thereto. Suspended from each arm 30 is a screw jack 31hearing against a spring 32 which in turn bears upon the free end of thecorresponding lever arm 29. By adjusting the position of the screw jack31, the pressure on the lever arm 29 and thereby the pressure betweenthe pinch rolls may be varied. The lower pinch roll 2 is provided with agear 33 which drives the upper pinch roll 25' through a gear 34. A dragbrake of conventional design is provided outboard of the drive gears 33and 34 on the pinch roll 24 to prevent overrunning of the pinch rollsexcept when tension is applied to the strip to draw the strip throughbetween the rolls. The drag brake may be made up of a drum 35a mountedon the shaft of roll 24. Surrounding the drum 35a is a shoe 35b. Theshoe 35b is provided with brake lining 35c and with an adjusting thrumbscrew 35d so that the pressure applied to the brake drum 35a may beregulated.

A set of rollers 36 in the form of a roller leveler may be provided inadvance of the pinch rolls to level the strip leaving the uncoiler 37and align it with the roll nip.

The operation of the punch press described above will be perhaps bestexplained by reference to Figure 1 and the diagrammatic showing ofFigures 6A through 6D. The strip 38 to be treated leaves the uncoiler 37and passes through the roller leveler 35 into the nip between the pinchrolls 24 and 25. The strip is fed by the pinch rolls at a constant rateof speed through between the side frames 16 of the floating frame andbetween the upper die 17 and lower die 12. As the motor drives shafts 13and 14 the eccentric earns 15 carry the side frames 16 of the floatingframe in a circle about the two shafts as illustrated in Figures 6Athrough 6D at a peripheral speed in excess of the rate of strip fed bythe pinch rolls 24 and 25. This in turn carries the upper die 17 througha circle identical with that of the frame and below the shaft 13. At thesame time the lower die 19 is moved reciprocally in the slot 18 and backand forth horizontally with the floating frame, thereby following anarcuate path (see Figures 6A through 6D). Both the upper die 17 and thelower die 19 move with the same speed as the frame and in excess of therate of speed of the strip fed by the pinch rolls so that when the stripis engaged between them as at position 6C they exert a tension on thestrip, pulling it through between them. The pinch rolls are accordinglymoved at a rate of speed greater than their normal speed of feed and theoverrunning coupling comes into play, permitting the rolls to run freelywithout interference from their drive. As the dies 17 and 19 release thestrip (position 6D) there is a tendency for the rolls to continue todecelerate slowly by reason of their higher rotary momentum down to thenormal feed speed. In order to prevent this the drag brake brings thepinch roll immediately to normal speed when the tension caused by therapidly moving dies is released. In this way a constant precise amountof material can be treated with each revolution of the dies, the amountbeing the sum of the length fed by the pinch rolls from the instant ofrelease by the dies to the instant of pickup by the dies on the nextrevolution plus the distance travelled by the strip in tension betwenthe dies. This latter distance will be the chord of the arc beginning atthe instant of pickup to the instant of discharge by the dies.

By the use of the apparatus of this invention it is possible to cut,punch or otherwise treat a constant length of material with eachrevolution of the floating frame just as effectively as if the stripwere stopped and the operation performed in a stationary manner.

While a preferred embodiment of this invention has been illustrated anddescribed, it will be understood that it may be otherwise embodiedwithin the scope of the following claims.

I-claim:

1. Apparatus for treating rapidly moving strip and the like comprisingcontinuously operable rotating means feeding strip material and the likein a path, release means in the continuously operable means whereby thestrip material may be drawn freely through the feeding means at a speedgreater than the rate of feed, retarding means acting on thecontinuously operable means to limit free rotation of the continuouslyoperable means, a first member for acting on the strip and the likemounted to operate in a circular path at a peripheral speed in excess ofthe rate of feed a portion of which circular path lies substantially inthe first mentioned path, a guide extending generally transversely ofthe first mentioned path mounted to move with the first member, a secondmember for acting on the strip and the like mounted to reciprocate inthe guide, and means causing the second member to reciprocate in theguide and move generally in the direction of the first mentioned pathgenerally in unison with the first member and to move substantially intothe first mentioned path substantially simultaneously with the firstmember to engage the strip and the like between said first and secondmembers whereby the strip is moved with said members during a portion oftheir movement and is drawn through the feeding means at a speed inexcess of the rate of feed, and overcoming the effect of the retardingmeans.

2. Apparatus for treating rapidly moving strip and the like comprisingcontinuously operable rotating means feeding strip material and the likein a path, an overrunning coupling in the continuously operable meanswhereby the strip material can be drawn freely through the feeding meansat a speed greater than the rate of feed, retarding means acting on thecontinuously operable means to limit free rotation of the continuouslyoperable means, a first member for acting on the strip and the likemounted to operate in a circular path at a peripheral speed in excess ofthe rate of feed a portion of which circular path lies substantially inthe first mentioned path, a guide extending generally transversely ofthe first mentioned path mounted to move with the first member, a secondmember for acting on the strip and the like mounted to reciprocate inthe guide, and means causing the second member to reciprocate in theguide and move generally in the direction of the first mentioned pathgenerally in unison with the first member and to move substantially intothe first mentioned path substantially simultaneously with the firstmember to engage the strip and the like between said first and secondmembers whereby the strip is moved. with said membersduring.

a portion of their movement and is drawn through the. feeding means at aspeed in excess of the rate of-feed and overcoming the effect of theretarding means,

3. Apparatus for treating rapidly moving strip and the like comprisingcontinuously operable rotating means feeding strip in a path, releasemeans in the continuously operable means whereby the strip material canbe drawn freely through the feeding means at a speed greater than therate of feed, brake means on the continuously operable feed means actingthereon to prevent free rotation of the continuously operable means,v afirst member for acting on the strip and the like mounted to operate ina circular path at a peripheral speed in excess of the rate of feed aportion of which circular path lies substantially in the first mentionedpath, a guide extending generally transversely of the first mentionedpath mounted to move with the first member, a second member for actingon the strip and the like mounted to reciprocate in the guide and meanscausing the second member to reciprocate in the guide and move generallyin the direction of the first mentioned path generally in unison withthe fiirst memher and to move substantially into the first mentionedpath substantially simultaneously with the first member to engage'thestrip and the like between said first and second members whereby thestrip is moved with said members during a portion of their movement andis drawn through the feeding means at a speed in excess of the rate offeed.

'4. Apparatus for treating rapidly moving strip and the like comprisingcontinuously operable rotating means feeding strip and the like in apath, release means in the continuously operable means whereby the stripmaterial can be drawn freely through the feeding means at a speedgreater than the rate of feed, retarding means acting on thecontinuously operable means to limit free rotation of the continuouslyoperable means, a floating frame surrounding the path of strip travel, afirst member for acting on said strip mounted in said frame, eccentricdrive means acting on said frame to operate it to cause the first memberto operate in a circular path at a peripheral speed in excessof the rateof feed, a portion of which circular path lies substantially in thefirst mentioned path, a guide-in said frame extending generallytransversely of the first mentioned path mounted to move with the firstmember, a second member for acting on the strip and the like mounted toreciprocate in the guide, and means causing the second member toreciprocate in the guide and move generally in the direction of thefirst mentioned path generally in unison with the first member and tomove substantially into the first mentioned path substantiallysimultaneously with the first member to engage the strip and the likebetween said first and second mem bers whereby the strip is moved withsaid members during a portion of their movement and is drawn through thefeeding means at a speed in excess of the rate of feed and overcomingthe effect of the retarding means.

, 5. Apparatus for treating rapidly moving strip and the like comprisingcontinuously operable rotating means feeding strip and the like in apath, release means in the continuously operable means whereby the stripmaterial can be drawn freely through the feeding means at a speedgreater than the rate of feed, retarding means acting on thecontinuously operable means to limit free rotation of the continuouslyoperablemeans, a floating frame surrounding the vpath of strip travel onthe exit side of the feeding means, rotary eccentric means causing thetop and bottom of the frame to move in identical spaced apart circles onopposite sides of the path of strip travel, drive means simultaneouslydriving the eccentric means and the continuously operable means, saideccentric means being driven at a peripheral speed greater than that ofthe continuously operable means, a first member for acting on the stripmounted in the frame on one side of the path of travel, guideways on theframe transverse to the path of'strip travel, a second member for actingon the strip mounted to reciprocate in the guideways, and means causingthe second member to reciprocate in the guideways and move generally inthe direction of the path of strip travel generally in unison with thefirst member to engage the-strip between said first and second memberswhereby the strip is moved-with said members during a portion of theirmovement and is drawn through the feeding means at a speed in excess ofthe rate of feed and overcoming the effect of the retarding means.

6. Apparatus for treating rapidly moving strip and ing frame surroundingthe path of strip travel on the exit side of the feeding means spacedrotary eccentric means acting on the frame to cause it to move in acircle whose radius is the length of the throw of the eccentric, drivemeans simultaneously driving the eccentric means and the continuouslyoperable means at two different peripheral speeds of which the eccentricspeed is greater, a first member for acting on the strip mounted in theframe on one side of the path of strip travel, guideways on the frametransverse to the path of strip travel, a second member for acting onthe strip mounted to reciprocate in the guideways, and means causing thesecond member to reciprocate in the guideways and move generally in thedirection of the path of strip travel generally in unison with the firstmember to engage the strip between said first and second members wherebythe strip is moved with said members during a portion of their movementand is drawn through the feeding means at a speed in excess of the rateof feed and overcoming the effect of the retarding means.

7. Apparatus for treating rapidly moving strip and the like comprisingcontinuously operable rotating means feeding strip and the like in apath, an overrunning coupling in the continuously operable means wherebythe strip material can be drawn freely through the feeding means at aspeed greater than the rate of feed, brake means on the continuouslyoperable means acting thereon to prevent free rotation of thecontinuously operable means, a floating frame surrounding the path ofstrip travel on the exit side of the feeding means spaced rotaryeccentric means acting on the frame to cause it to move in a circlewhose radius is the length of the throw of the eccentric, drive meanssimultaneously driving the eccentric means and the continuously operablemeans at two different peripheral speeds of which the eccentric speed isgreater, a first member for acting on the strip mounted in the frame onone side of the path of strip travel, guide ways on the frame transverseto the path of strip travel, a second member for acting on the stripmounted to reciprocate in the guideways and means causing the secondmember to reciprocate in the guideways and move generally in thedirection of the path of strip travel generally in unison with the firstmember to engage the strip between said first and second members wherebythe strip is moved with said members during a portion of their movementand is drawn through the feeding means at a speed in excess of the rateof feed.

8. Apparatus for treating rapidly moving strip and the like comprisingcontinuously operable rotating means feeding strip material and the likein a path, a first member for acting on the strip mounted to operate ina circular path at a peripheral speed in excess of the rate of feed, aportion of which circular path lies substantially in the first mentionedpath, a guide extending generally transversely of the first mentionedpath mounted to move with the first member, a second member for actingon the strip and the like mounted to reciprocate in the guide,

means causing the second member to reciprocate in the guide and movegenerally in the direction of the first mentioned path generally inunison with the first member and to move substantially into the firstmentioned path substantially simultaneously with the first member toengage the strip and the like between said first and second memberswhereby the strip is moved with said members during a portion of theirmovement and is drawn through thefeeding means at a speed in excess ofthe rate of feed, drive means simultaneously driving the first memberand the continuously operable means at two dififerent peripheral speedsof which the speed of the first member is greater, an overrunningcoupling between the drive means and the continuously operable meanswhereby strip may be freely drawn through the continuously operablemeans while engaged between the first and second members and retardingmeans acting on the continuously operable means to limit free rotationof the continuously operable means.

9. Apparatus for treating rapidly moving strip and the like comprisingcontinuously operable rotating means feeding strip material and the likein a path, a first member for acting on the strip mounted to operate ina circular path at a peripheral speed in excess of the rate of feed, aportion of which circular path lies substantially in the first mentionedpath, a guide extending generally transversely of the first mentionedpath mounted to move with the first member, a second member for actingon the strip and the like mounted to reciprocate in the guide, meanscausing the second member to reciprocate in the guide and move generallyin the direction of the first mentioned path generally in unison withthe first member and to move substantially into the first mentioned pathsubstantially simultaneously with the first member to engage the stripand the like between said first and second members whereby the strip ismoved with said members during a portion of their movement and is drawnthrough the feeding means at a speed in excess of the rate of feed,drive means simultaneously driving the first member and the continuouslyoperable means at two different peripheral speeds of which the speed ofthe first member is greater, and overrunning coupling between the drivemeans and the continuously operable means whereby strip may be freelydrawn through the continuously operable means while engaged between thefirst and second members and drag brake means applying retarding forceon the continuously operable means to limit rotation of the continuouslyoperable means to rotation caused by the drive means and the pull of thefirst and second members.

10. Apparatus for treating rapidly moving strip and the like comprisingcontinuously operable rotating means feeding strip material and the likein a path, release means in the continuously operable means whereby thestrip material may be drawn freely through the feeding means at a speedgreater than the rate of feed, retarding means acting on thecontinuously operable means to limit free rotation of the continuouslyoperable means, means intermittently acting on the strip and drawing thestrip through the continuously operable means at a speed in excess ofthe rate of feed, means driving the intermittently acting means at asubstantially constant rate and connections between the intermittentlyacting means and the continuously operable means whereby thecontinuously operable means are driven simultaneously through theintermittently acting means.

11. Apparatus for treating rapidly moving strip and the like comprisingcontinuously operable rotating means feeding strip material and the likein a path, release means in the continuously operable means whereby thestrip material may be drawn freely through the feeding means at a speedgreater than the rate of feed, brake means on the continuously operablemeans acting thereon to prevent free rotation of the continuouslyoperable 8 means, means intermittently acting on the strip and drawingthe strip through the continuously operable means at a speed in excessof the rate of feed, means driving the intermittently acting means at asubstantially constant rate and connections between the intermittentlyacting means and the continuously operable means whereby thecontinuously operable means are driven simultaneously through theintermittently acting means.

12. Apparatus for treating rapidly moving strip and the like comprisingcontinuously operable rotating means feeding strip material and the likein a path, release means in the continuously operable means whereby thestrip material may be drawn freely through the feeding means at a speedgreater than the rate of feed, retarding means acting on thecontinuously operable means to limit free rotation of the continuouslyoperable means, a first member for acting on the strip and the likemounted to operate in a circular path at a peripheral speed in excess ofthe rate of feed a portion of which circular path lies substantially inthe first mentioned path, a guide extending generally transversely ofthe first mentioned path mounted to move with the first member, a secondmember for acting on the strip and the like mounted to reciprocate inthe guide, means causing the second member to reciprocate in the guideand move generally in the direction of the first mentioned pathgenerally in unison with the first member and to move substantially intothe first mentioned path substantially simultaneously with the firstmember to engage the strip and the like between said first and secondmembers whereby the strip is moved with said members during a portion oftheir movement and is drawn through the feeding means at a speed inexcess of the rate of feed, and drive means connected to the first andsecond members to drive them in unison and connections between one ofthe first and second members and the continuously operable means wherebythe continuously operable means are driven through said one of the firstand second members simultaneously with the movement of the first andsecond member.

13. Apparatus for treating rapidly moving strip and the like comprisingcontinuously operable rotating means feeding strip material and the likein a path, release means in the continuously operable means whereby thestrip material may be drawn freely through the feeding means at a speedgreater than the rate of feed, retarding means acting on thecontinuously operable means to limit free rotation of the continuouslyoperable means, a first member for acting on the strip and the likemounted to operate in a circular path at a peripheral speed in excess ofthe rate of feed a portion of which circular path lies substantially inthe first mentioned path, a guide extending generally transversely ofthe first mentioned path mounted to move with the first member, a secondmember for acting on the strip and the like mounted to reciprocate inthe guide, means causing the second member to reciprocate in the guideand move generally in the direction of the first mentioned pathgenerally in unison with the first member and to move substantially intothe first mentioned path substantially simultaneously with the firstmember to engage the strip and the like between said first and secondmembers whereby the strip is-moved with said members during a portion oftheir movement and is drawn through the feeding means at a speed inexcess of the rate of feed, and means driving the first and secondmembers, connections between one of the first and second members and thecontinuously operable means whereby the continuously operable means andfirst and second members are driven simultaneously and means acting onsaid connections to vary the relative speeds of rotation of thecontinuously operable means with respect to the first and second member.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS Brooks Nov. 4,1890 Meisel Mar. 22, 1898Swift Mar. 5, 1907 Trump May 26, 1931 10 Behrens Nov. 18, 1941 HalldenJune 23, 1953 Eaton Oct. 26, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Jan. 30, 1932

